Lost and Found
We lost our friend Bill McTighe at a way too early age.
Bill was our roommate, fraternity brother and good friend. Bill, Denis and I were in each other’s weddings, vacationed together, celebrated together and stayed connected into adulthood.
But the demons of addiction were too strong and ended up taking Bill in what should have been his prime. It’s a sad story of a life unfulfilled.
One of the key reasons that Denis and I started Wisdom Essentials was because we saw first-hand what addiction can do to someone.
And as we looked at ourselves, every time we had some ailment or surgery or back pain, the standard response from the medical industry was to prescribe some painkillers. And although we have both collected a Ziploc bagful of opioids, luckily, we did not get addicted and suffer the same fate as our friend. But as the saying goes, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
So, when we got introduced to the promises of the research of CBD, and other plant-based botanicals, we knew it was the right time to pursue this for ourselves—and for other people in our age group.
I’ll admit at first, I was skeptical. Getting involved in “cannabis” was never something I thought I would do. Years of the “reefer” stigma, the Cheech and Chong imagery and the ever present “war on drugs” conditioned to me to be against this type of “propaganda.” After all I was a husband, father of three and rather traditional in my views.
Then I started to be knowledgeable of the facts and the research. I started to learn about the advantages of cannabinoids and how they can help defend against some of the most common ailments.
At the same time, we saw the trends in a cohort that looked just like us. People like us that are living better, living longer, lifelong learners and always searching for ways to feel better and chase our dreams. Maybe most importantly, we saw people who do not want to be over-prescribed, over-drugged and dealing with a bunch of unintended side effects.
More and more we found out these people (us included!) wanted to simply feel better naturally. So, it made sense to investigate the opportunity to solve that need.
The need for respect and transparency
Through our research, we found two things that needed addressing: Respect and Transparency
Respect:
We found that marketing to “seniors” was a wasteland of stereotype, bias and plain old ignorance. Portrayals of people our age as dried up, used up people. Images of white hairs surrounded by grandchildren and rocking chairs. Words describing senior maladies and ailments of old age. It was obvious to us that the people writing about us really knew nothing about us at all. Denis says it best, “they’re treating us like we’re dying, but we ain’t dead yet!”
Transparency:
The glut of toxic, low quality CBD products on the market caused all kinds of confusion. Products were mismarked, mislabeled and just plain bad. The few good brands were being swamped by a crowd of quick hit, snake oil salesman.
So we made a commitment
We made the commitment to each other to get into the business to fix these problems.
We found a cohort of people who were as active as ever. Not at all slowing down. Pursuing their goals—of their next business, or their education or their heath or expanding their relationships. A group of people with experiences that matter, with knowledge to use, with wisdom to pass on.
We call them “Modern Midlifers”.
People like Helen who is one of the most optimistic, innovative people I know. She completely leans into everything. She is a film producer who taught herself editing, photography, ecommerce and more. Every time I talk with her, I leave the conversation more energetic.
Or Peter. A great guy that has had his share of age-related bumps and bruises. But he is always starting something new, is filled with ideas and pursues them with purpose and vigor.
Or Linda. A lifelong entrepreneur, mother and now cancer survivor who is pouring her energy into training Seeing Eye dogs for the blind and vision impaired.
The list goes on. There are lots of us out there and we excited to find and talk with more “Modern Midlifers”.
And we agreed to make products the right way. With all-natural ingredients, lab tested, properly labeled and non-THC. Creating our mission statement:
Wisdom Essentials is on a mission to help Modern MidLifers be well in body, mind and spirit. Through natural botanic and CBD formulas and holistic education, we aim to help people live their best lives.
So, what are we doing now?
Denis and I took everything we have learned about Modern Midlifers, about the market for natural treatments, about cannabis and the endocannabinoid system and created Wisdom Essentials.
We have partnered with physicians, formulators, chemists, production facilities, industry experts, designers and more.
We have created a brand specifically designed to celebrate and honor the success, failures and wisdom of Modern Midlifers.
We have created—and will continue to create—products that are intended for the specific ailments of our generation: sleeplessness, pain, anxiety, mental focus. And soon products intended to boost immunity, help skin care and more.
We are creating a program to donate a portion of our proceeds to support Alzheimer’s research—a disease that has affected so many of our friends, families and neighbors.
We are creating a professional network of coaches, financial advisors, educators, health experts and academics to support the entire person: mind, body and spirit.
Bill Revisited
Losing our friend Bill was really tough.
He left behind a mother, wife and kids that were emotionally wrecked by his addiction and absence.
We lost a companion that had massive potential and a friendship that we are sure would have been stronger today.
But now as Denis and I embark on the development of Wisdom Essentials, our desire is to draw upon the lessons and spirit of our long-lost friend and find ways to help new friends discover some relief and joy as they pursue the goals of their next act.
We look forward to meeting you along the way. Feel free to email us anytime.
